Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Don't Underestimate the Little Things!

There are so many learning opportunities in one day that we could never monopolize on all of them. And depending on the age of your children, everything could be turned into a potential learning experience.

Here are a few things I try to be mindful of with my littles...

I try to make a habit of quoting Scripture to my children as soon as they are born, every time I change their diaper. The hearing of this poetic, beautiful language builds the foundation on which memorization and literature will flourish.

I count when I'm with my babies and toddlers. I count everything. Fingers, toes, the stairs we're climbing, the Cheerios we're picking up ;-)

I use big words on purpose with my toddlers and emphasize their meanings. For example, maybe we are walking. We see a flower, which the three year old finds exquisite. She says..."Fower, mommy!" I say..."YES! Isn't it a beautiful flower? That's a clover. Clover's are exquisite (or whatever word comes to mind.) I may repeat the chosen words a few times. Don't underestimate the vocabulary base you are building!

Point out the colors of everything.

Be as detailed as possible when discussing pictures, objects, etc. (Textures, specific types, other details.)

I try to remember to talk out loud when I'm doing things. Small children are sponges. They want to know. So tell them! "I'm going to crack this egg and add it to the batter. See how God put the egg into this shell? When the batter is mixed, we'll pour it up in pans and cook it in the oven..." You get my drift ;-)